Page 145 of Faking the Shot

“Yeah, it’sAuntyAinsley,” Jack said.

“Aunty Ainsley—”

“What? What is it that you want, Zac?”

“To talk to you.”

“Aunty Ainsley, we have to use inside voices when we’re inside,” Jack said.

Zac chuckled, the sound crawling past her defenses to tug at her, tempting her to join in.

She suppressed it. “Very well, I’ll use my inside voice, and say as nice as it is that Uncle Zac has called round, he should probably leave.”

“You know, I’m starting to see some Abigail vibes going on,” Zac said.

“Excuse me?”

“You know, that schoolteacher you play onAs The Heart Draws?”

“Used to play,” she muttered.

He stared at her. “Ainsley, why did they fire you?”

She shrugged, shook her head. “I can’t talk about it now.”

He glanced at the kids, who were looking between them, their eyes as wide as their mouths would likely be. They weren’t exactly well-equipped with filters.

“I’m really sorry.”

She blinked and looked away. She couldn’t do this. Couldn’t be here, with him being so kind. She didn’t deserve it. Not after how she had treated him, accusing him of lying. He hadn’t deserved it. He didn’t deserve her. More likely she didn’t deserve him. Except—hadn’t her time on the island reminded her that God’s love meant all her sins were wiped clean? Her heart panged. Yet it was one thing for God to forgive her; quite another for this man to do the same.

“Aunty Ainsley, why do you look sad?”

She dragged in a breath, dredged up a smile. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I’m a bit tired.” Tired of pretense. Tired of pretending she didn’t care. Tired of hurts.

“Ainsley, if you’re tired, I can look after the kids and you can go have a nap.”

“I don’t need a nap,” she snapped.

“Aunty Ainsley, we have to useinsidevoices,” Jack insisted.

“Thatismy inside voice.”

“No, it isn’t. That’s your outside voice but quieter.”

“Isn’t that what an inside voice is?” she asked.

“No, an inside voice is softer.”

“Like when you talk to me and call me sweetheart,” Faith said.

She drew in a deep breath, and silently exhaled. She couldn’t look at Zac. Couldn’t let him see how close she was to tears. She couldnotdo tears with this man. She’d shed so many in recent months she couldn’t do any more.

“Hey guys, why don’t we give Aunty Ainsley some space and you show me what you were eating before?” Zac said.

“Do you want some chicken nuggets, Uncle Zac?” Faith asked.

Ainsley stayed in the living room, glad for this moment of space to try and pull herself together. Maybe it was better if she just left. The kids had Zac, they didn’t need her, and she sure as heck did not need him around, reminding her of just how perfect he was.

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